Semua Bab The Cherished Wife: Bab 1051 - Bab 1060

Winter shot Xavier a frosty look and snorted before getting a fresh glass of champagne from a passing waiter. With a swirl of her dress, she sauntered up to Noelle."Noelle, I never would've guessed we'd bump into each other here!"Noelle had spotted Winter the moment she started heading her way. She knew a confrontation was inevitable, so she braced herself for the encounter.As Winter came closer and dropped her bombshell, Noelle just flashed a small, wry smile. "The feeling's mutual. I didn't expect to run into you either." She beamed at Winter, all poise and grace. "What brings you here? I don't recall telling you about my thing with Charles!"Winter's expression soured. "I tagged along with Xavier. Did you forget he's part of the Hoffman family now? It's expected I’d show up, don’t you think?" She said, her gaze drifting over to Charles, who stood by Noelle's side, her eyes betraying a flicker of something more.Charles was stealing the scene just by being there. Even Winter,

"Excuse me, ma'am. Our young lady would like to see you," a servant from the Hoffman family said, approaching Winter with a polite bow. Winter narrowed her eyes in curiosity. "Who might your young lady be?""Ms. Anderson, the one who welcomed you and your husband earlier!"Ms. Anderson?Following the servant's lead, Winter made her way to a cozy sitting room. As she entered, she saw a woman with elegant posture standing with her back turned to the door. Winter figured she was the Ms. Anderson the servant had referred to.Winter composed herself and stepped forward with a warm smile. "Ms. Anderson, did you want to see me?"The woman turned around slowly at the sound of her voice, offering Winter a soft, welcoming smile. "Yes, hello, Ms. Shaw!"However, when Winter's eyes met Kelly's, her thoughts froze. She blinked rapidly at Kelly, wondering if her eyes were playing tricks on her. Taking a deep breath, she asked in astonishment, "You're Ms. Anderson?"Kelly nodded simply. "I'm

Charles let out a soft laugh. "Don’t worry. Want to sit down for a bit?"She nodded again, and Charles gently guided her toward a quieter spot to rest. They had barely started moving when Kelly emerged, supporting Maxwell. All eyes instantly locked onto them.The crowd was buzzing with curiosity, especially when they noticed Kelly close by Maxwell's side. Whispers spread like wildfire. "Who's that girl with him?"The stares shifted to Noelle, making her head spin. She felt as if her blood had turned to ice.She had braced herself for some awkwardness at the banquet, but she never imagined Maxwell would put her on the spot like this.She was Charles's rightful wife, but Kelly was staking her claim over Charles from right next to Maxwell. Noelle should have been the one standing by the old man tonight.Charles's hand tightened reassuringly on Noelle's waist. He frowned, clearly not pleased with Maxwell's little show. Leaning close, he whispered, "I'm right here."Noelle looked up,

Charles wanted nothing more than to go over to Noelle, wrap her up in his arms, and whisk her away from all this. However, Charles held back, knowing it was not the time to upset Noelle. Making a scene by leaving would not be the smartest move.Charles's hands curled into fists, his icy gaze clashing with Winter's. A shiver of fear darted through Winter's heart, but she quickly squashed it. After all, she was just telling the truth. If she could get Charles and Noelle to break up, Noelle would never be able to hold anything over her again. Bolstered by that thought, Winter's resolve hardened."The Shaw family might not be the top family in Brookville, but we're known for our love of books and learning. Noelle is a catch who could get any guy she wanted. Mr. Hoffman, if you've already got someone else in your heart, why keep messing with Noelle and making her the talk of the town?""Making me the talk of the townNoelle, who had been as quiet as a mouse, finally piped up. Her voice

Kelly stumbled backward, her face ghostly white. She had seriously misjudged Noelle.She had pegged Noelle as just another airhead. She thought she could deal with her as easily as the other girls who used to flock around Charles. However, Noelle was not following any playbook.Kelly had poured her heart out, but Noelle had not taken the bait. Instead, she flipped the script, leaving Kelly flushed with embarrassment.Kelly looked up at Charles, her lips quivering and her eyes pooled with unshed tears. "Charles, please tell Noelle I didn't mean anything by it. You know we were once set to be married… I'm sorry. I never meant to come between you and Noelle. If you two were solid, I couldn't have shaken things up, right? Just tell Noelle not to worry. She...""She's not worried, and you can't touch us," Charles cut in, his voice icy, delivering his first full statement since the drama unfolded. His gaze on Kelly was frosty. "If I wasn't clear before, let's set the record straight toda